It's everyone's favorite position, the backup quarterback.

The Big 12 will once again feature some of the best signal callers in the country in 2012, but who takes over the reins if the starter goes down?

Here's a look at where teams in the Big 12 will turn to if their number one guy is forced to the sideline for any extended period of time.

The teams are listed in order of who, based on what we know, would suffer the greatest setback if their starter was forced to the sideline.  That's a combination of not only how good the starter is but what he means to the team as a whole and who exactly would be replacing him.

Could be in a World of Hurt

Kansas State

Starter: senior Collin Klein

Number two:  redshirt freshman Daniel Sams or sophomore Sam Johnson

There might not be one player in the entire Big 12 more important to their team than K-State starting quarterback, Collin Klein.  If Klein goes down, the Wildcats could go from a possible ten win team to fighting for bowl eligibility just like that.

Bill Snyder said during this week's Big 12 conference call he was unsure who would be next in line.  He said the situation of the game would determine who would play, either redshirt freshman Daniel Sams are redshirt sophomore, Sam Johnson.  Neither has seen action at the college level and would have enormous shoes to fill should either be forced into action.

Sams was the more highly recruiting player out of high school holding offers from Miami and Oklahoma after being recruited as an athlete.  Johnson walked onto the Kansas State program out of Topeka, Kansas not that either would be a factor in determining who would be Klein's top backup, although Sams would likely be the first up.

Kansas

Starter: senior Dayne Crist

Number two:  redshirt freshman Michael Cummings

Charlie Weis released KU's first official depth chart on Tuesday and on it, Michael Cummings was listed as the number two quarterback.  He had been competing with JC transfer Turner Baty for the spot behind starter Dayne Crist.  Weis had said throughout fall camp that Cummings held the slight edge sighting the fact he was able to participate in spring ball and also made note of his "big arm."

The fact Crist already knows Weis' offense gives the Jayhawks a big advantage, something that isn't typically the case for most first-year coaches.  If he goes down, however, it might be back to square one for KU's offense.

West Virginia

Starter: senior Geno Smith

Number two:  sophomore Paul Millard

Millard won the battle for the number two spot, a position he also held last season, beating out freshman Ford Childress to be the guy behind starter Geno Smith.  Childress played in four games last season but given how successful Smith has been, he's still largely an unknown.  Dana Holgorsen knows a thing or two about developing QB's so here's guessing should Millard will be forced into action, he'll be ready.   That being said, anytime you take a Heisman contender out of the lineup, a team can figure to take a step or two in the wrong direction.

Damaging, but a Recovery Possible?

Oklahoma

Starter: senior Landry Jones

Number two:   sophomore Blake Bell

Oklahoma could very well be in trouble if Landry Jones goes down, but at least they have a guy who has been out there in pressure situations already, something a lot of teams can't say.

We all know what the 6'6", 250 pound Blake Bell can do in the Bell Dozer package after rushing 44 times for 176 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.  What we don't know is what he can do if he's called upon to run the entire package of OU's offense should Jones go down.  He only threw four passes last season and will have a steep learning curve should he be thrust into full time action in 2012.

Texas Tech

Starter: senior Seth Doege

Number two:  redshirt freshman, Michael Brewer

Seth Doege is the clear cut starter in Lubbock, and a bit underrated in my estimation.

If Doege goes down, in steps redshirt freshman, Michael Brewer.  Brewer has flashed plenty of potential in practice and the Texas Tech staff believes it has its quarterback of the future.  Brewer has more mobility than Doege which is something that could provide a new wrinkle in Tech's offense should Brewer be forced into action.  Of all the backups in the Big 12 that have yet to play, this guy probably has the most upside.  Now all he has to do is show it on the field, something that is obviously easier said than done.

TCU

Starter: junior Casey Pachall

Number two:  redshirt freshman Trevone Boykin

Boykin is a  dual threat quarterback that earned the backup job during fall camp forcing last year's backup, Matt Brown, to the wide receiver position.  Boykin was ranked as the 24th best dual threat QB in the country by Rivals coming out of high school.

So goes the case with most backups, you never know what you have until you see them in action, but it's probably safe to say that should starter Casey Pachall miss time, the Horned Frogs would take at least a temporary step back at the position. That is meant more as a compliment to Pachall rather than a slight to Boykin who has the potential to be a very exciting player in the Big 12.

Baylor

Starter: senior Nick Florence

Number two:  redshirt sophomore Bryce Petty

Senior Nick Florence is the guy selected to replace Robert Griffin for the Bears, but Baylor has a guy waiting in the wings that should be more than capable of running their offense should Florence go down for any reason.

Petty just went through his third fall camp under Briles so he knows the offense, but the fact he was playing behind RGIII has limited his playing time thus far.  He did see action in five games last year as a backup, although when RGIII went down against Texas Tech, Briles pulled a potential redshirt off of Florence rather than going with Petty.  Take that as you will.

Keep on Keeping On

Iowa State

Starter: senior Steele Jantz

Number two: sophomore Jared Barnett

Barnett narrowly lost out on the starting job when Iowa State decided to go with the senior Steele Jantz to start the season.  Barnett proved what he's capable of last year in leading Iowa State in their gigantic upset of Oklahoma State, so should Jantz go down, the Cyclones will be in capable hands assuming Barnett can improve his consistency in the passing game.

Texas

Starter: sophomore David Ash

Number two: junior Case McCoy

Texas coach Mack Brown has already said both quarterbacks are likely to play, but how much McCoy actually sees the field is largely dependent on whether or not Ash is able to consistently move the chains and put points on the scoreboard.  Depending on your point of view, the good news for Texas is that their backup has experience, but he'll have to turn that experience into actual production if and when he gets his chance.

Oklahoma State

Starter: true freshman Wes Lunt

Number two: redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh

The Cowboys chose to go with true freshman Wes Lunt as the starter leaving Walsh as his primary backup.  Walsh received equal snaps with the first team throughout spring practice and by most reports, narrowly missed being named the starter.  Walsh is more a dual-threat quarterback than Lunt and it wouldn't be surprising for him to see some playing time regardless of how Lunt performs, perhaps in a wildcat type formation.

Given the fact the neither guy has played a down of college football, it's impossible for the Cowboys coaching staff to know exactly what they have at the position until they see them in live game action.  If Lunt struggles early, Walsh would likely get his chance to show what he can do sooner rather than later.